My friend asked me to accompany her to the bank the other day, as she had to make a deposit. Not a big deal, right? WRONG. What the hell is up with banks here..?!?! I mean, really? What should have taken ten minutes, ended up taking over an hour! You have to take a day off of work, just to go to the bloody bank!

First you have to wait in line..haha..This is an experience in itself. I felt like I was back in primary school, where I had to guard my spot in the lunch line, or someone would “CUT” in front of me..Come on people, really.. You’re in the bank. I seriously had to stretch my hand out and rest it on the counter to block this older gentlemen from cutting in front of us..And all of this while the person in front of me was still completing his transaction..Apparently, the notion of giving someone their privacy while they complete a confidential banking transaction doesn’t exist here..

After getting to the front of the queue..my friend was told that her account had been closed due to inactivity..Umm say what?! How you can close someone’s account without notifying them, especially when there are funds in the account?

We were then told to sit down while someone else processed paperwork to re-open her account..I couldn’t believe that they still make carbon copies of everything here, especially when it comes to highly confidential banking documents? There were piles and piles of papers EVERYWHERE..Oh yeah, and what is with the little stamps? Can someone explain that to me?

Inefficiency at Blom Bank

Naturally, my friend complained..so we were moved to another desk where the Customer Service Manager tried to find out why the account had been closed in the first place. At one point, he had a phone to each of his ears. I just missed it, but was able to get a shot of him putting down the second phone..

Customer Service at Blom Bank

There is probably some law out there banning people from taking pictures inside of banks, but what the hell. I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.

I just don’t get it..some things in Lebanon, are soo..well efficient. Take for example the fact that banks send you a text/sms notification whenever you use your atm or credit card.. now that is a really neat service, and one that we don’t have back home..Oh and another thing, since many people here don’t have fixed phone lines, you can even recharge your prepaid line via the ATM..

Bank Audi ATM

Are you MTC or Alfa?

Recharge your phone at the ATM!

It baffles me why banks here haven’t automated processes like deposits, and have yet to implement online banking and bill pay?? It’s like they choose when and where they want to be efficient..

Banks here would increase their efficiency one hundred fold, if they were to enable their ATM machines to accept deposits..like the ATM’s at Bank of America..

Efficiency at Bank of America

It would make going to the bank so much less of a chore!

Looks like both Bank Audi, Blom Bank, and Bank of America could all learn from one another..

7 responses to “Don’t you dare cut me! I was first!”

Blom bank, downtown branch, are you kidding me? of course they’re horrible. Awful service.
I fought with them the other day because they decided to randomly change the card I use to get my salary. Without notifying me. They just sent an SMS that I of course missed. I went out with no money thinking it’s fine, I’ll just stop by the atm, and it didn’t work! It took me an hour to go get the new one. Their reason? “Your security!” which the customer service told me while discussing her new car with her colleague when I clearly looked like a person who needs to go back to the office and does not have all day.